Worth The Lonely
by NoSoundJustWords
Summary: Bolin can't help it - he's been lonely for six years and living with the Makorra couple and the Irosami couple isn't helping. So he gets drunk. On cactus juice. But Jinora is there afterwards so that he doesn't get drunk again and so they can be fifth wheels together. Maybe, waiting for her was worth six years of the lonely. Bolin/Jinora


**A/N: So, I need to update my Tonks/Remus story, but I'm against a writer's block so large I just can't. -_- The next chapter is halfway done so, yeah….**

**I watched the Korra Book 1 finale just yesterday! And then this idea started to nag at me. First of all, my choice to put Bolin and Jinora together: Mako and Korra are canon, and I don't feel like disturbing them, and Iroh and Asami are both so suave they're together in my mind. So who does Bolin get? Jinora! :D **

**So, read and if you have the time, review! =) (If you want to criticize, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISCM.)**

Bolin doesn't mind being the third wheel. No, what he can't stand is being the fifth wheel, and he would like to personally beat up whoever agreed to let Team Avatar plus some crash at _his_ new house.

It _must_ be some sort of high official that Bolin has insulted in the past, he thinks as he wakes up to loud noises from his brother's (shared) bedroom. And he really doesn't want to know if the emotion behind the noises is anger or not. And if Mako and Korra are up, the other two will soon be up – ah, there it is, he can hear Asami and Iroh getting up in the bedroom on the other side of Bolin's. Bolin groans – why, _why, _did he agree to the bedroom in the middle? He mentally prepares himself for the day ahead – Iroh's on vacation, Korra's just come back from a diplomatic mission, Mako doesn't work on the weekends, and Asami doesn't either. Wait.

Oh, _spirits._ They're all free today. That can only mean one thing.

It's spending-time-with-everyone-and-watching-them-be-lovey-dovey day! Joy. This is just what he needs after last night-

Well, maybe it isn't their fault he woke up hung over.

Bolin stumbles into the kitchen and plops himself down at the table. His aching head vaguely registers that everyone around him is chattering happily and bustling around purposefully and maybe there's somewhere they all need to be today? Korra's muttering something about how fancy clothes don't _belong_ on such a nice day like today and Jinora's replying in her sweet voice that if Korra had her way fancy clothes wouldn't belong at all, but –

Wait. Bolin registers that this is his second epiphany this morning, and is quite pleased with his hung over brain.

"Jinora's here?" Bolin says, or mumbles, more like, but Jinora still catches it and turns, about to say something witty, no doubt, until she catches site of Bolin.

"Bo," she blinks, "did you get drunk last night?" she asks, exasperated. She's the only one that's ever allowed to call him Bo (besides Mako, but he usually doesn't count Mako). And because Bolin may have drank way too much of something way too strong last night, all he can focus on is how nice his name sounds coming from Jinora's mouth.

"On cactus juice." He says, nodding proudly, because it's not everyone who can hold down cactus juice as well as he can. Jinora cuffs him lightly, with a disapproving look on her face, but there's a smile tugging on the corner of her mouth.

"Come on, you know you wanna ask!" he says, giving her his signature goofy grin. Bolin knows what this is – they're flirting - and he needs to Stop Right Now, (as Korra would put it, with extra capitals) because Jinora is sixteen and he is twenty-two and this is exactly the kind of thing that's going to end up in his premature death at the hands of Tenzin. But he can't stop, and he doesn't want to stop, and he doesn't think Jinora wants to either.

"You," she huffs, "are going to be a pain in my butt today, I can already tell." But then she smiles and says, "How many?" to which Bolin holds up five fingers, indicating that he held down _five shots of cactus juice_ last night. And if that doesn't impress a girl, then, that girl isn't for him. But Jinora smiles, that shy smile that she daintily hides behind her hand as her brown eyes sparkle. Korra whistles her approval, and Asami nods her head slowly, impressed. Iroh's about to clap his hand on Bolin's back in congratulations when he catches sight of Mako and his heavy, Not Happy glare (that's serious enough to be in caps too, Bolin thinks). Mako silently seethes. He runs his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Bolin." He says, in a scarily calm voice. "There is a festival today, honoring peace and friendship between benders and non-benders. We, as the saviors of Republic City, are required to attend as VIP guests. Later, we are going straight from there to the evening ball at the City Hall. What part of this event did not scream 'formal' loud enough for you that you went out drinking last night, drinking no less than cactus juice?" Bolin sighs, because how can he explain to his brother the overwhelming feeling of loneliness that came over him when the two couples had started feeding each other and acting cutesy last night at the dinner table? He doesn't deny his brother happiness with Korra – Mako deserves everything after what he's been through to protect Bolin (and Republic City, of course). But it's been six years, and Bolin is at his wit's end from living with both couples. And he can't move out, either, because it's the land _he _bought and the house _he_ created that they're living in.

Korra gives Bolin a sympathetic glance (because for some reason that he can't understand, Korra, of all people, gets Bolin) and lays a hand on Mako's arm.

"'S ok. He'll be fine, as long as he stays with us. And possibly doesn't talk. Or do anything." She adds as an afterthought. Jinora shakes her head slightly.

"I'll stay with him, make sure he doesn't make a fool out of himself." She says softly. Mako looks unsure; he doesn't want Tenzin's daughter taking care of Bolin after his drunken escapades, even though she _always does_, but he can't argue the practicality of it.

"Fine." Mako sighs, and Bolin knows he's forgiven, because of Jinora. "Just, clean up and get ready. We have to leave soon." Bolin nods, and gets up. He walks down the hallway slowly. He wants to tell his aching head that today is going to be an awful day, going to formal events while the cactus juice is still in his system. But today, he is not going to be a fifth wheel, he's going to have Jinora with him, and perhaps that makes today a very amazing day.

At the end of the day, watching the fire works on a balcony with Jinora, Bolin and his head agree that today was possibly one of the better days he's had after his drunken nights. He's had Jinora all to himself today and they've had the greatest time, even when they're with the other two couples. Because there's been this unspoken tension in the air all day that makes them both let their casual touches a little longer, and their eyes gaze at each other's just a little too long. And now Jinora is clutching his arm and gazing brightly up at the fireworks. She loves fireworks, Bolin knows.

"Sometimes", she says in her dreamy voice, "I want to airbend myself up there and dance with the fireworks. It would be so pretty up there. If I went up with the fire works, I'd never come down." She muses. Bolin's heart skips a beat.

"Don't" he says, the word laced with emotion. Jinora scares him when she's in this mood. She's completely stable and reliable, but some days the airbender seems like she's going to drift away from him, and if she does that, what will he live for?

Jinora glances up at him. She smiles sweetly. "Don't worry. I won't leave you." She says simply. And with those words, he's a goner; he's fallen in love with her. He wraps his arm around her and savors the closeness. (There's the little voice in the back of his head telling him to not make it _quite_ so obvious that he's attracted to her.)

Later when they're slow dancing the last mandatory dance in the ballroom, she gets a determined look on her face and proceeds to tell him that she's moving into his house.

Bolin likes girls with a sense of humor. But this is just too much.

She goes on to explain that she's talked to Korra and figured out his drinking problem (he protests, it's not a _problem_ but she uncharacteristically tells him to shut it and listen). She's going to move into his mansion to keep an eye on him and to keep him company. She's already talked to her father and the rest of the people living in his house. Bolin sighs.

"So you talked to everybody but me that you're moving into _my_ house." He says exasperatedly. Jinora sets her face in a determined pout and nods. Bolin smiles fondly at her.

"So…..now we can be fifth wheels together?" he asks, smirking.

She sighs and rolls her eyes. "Yes, Bolin, yes."

Then he gets serious. "Why?" he asks. "You love it on Air Temple Island."

She remains silent for a while, thinking out her answer. "Yes, it's amazing there. And it's my home. But I'm sixteen and nearly done with my airbending training. I want to establish myself in the world too. I have dreams, and they don't involve staying on the island. But also, I worry about you. I read a book where…well, it summed up your situation, pretty much. The main character had this friend, and while she was always there for him she never actually took those steps to always be there for him. I was mad at her. I don't want to be like that. I'm going to be there for you whether you like it or not." Her speech is determined and adorable and she's blushing by the end.

"So…" Bolin drawls, "You decided to take care of me because a book told you to." Jinora blushes even harder. "Books have some very good advice!" she says heatedly, and it's just like the old times when all he can remember of ten year old Jinora is her referral to books for real life solutions. He ruffles her hair, then thinks of something.

"Oh! You can have my bedroom!" he says, smirking. "I'll move into the smaller room downstairs."

She doesn't take the bait.

"Absolutely not." She says firmly. "I _know_what goes on around that room at night."

Four years later, he throws his fate to the spirits and kisses her. She's serving him morning tea and something is so domestic about it he can't resist pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. She gasps slightly and a pink blush rises to her cheeks before she whispers, "Finally!" and throws herself into his arms. He grins like a fool – he doesn't mind the lonely ten years anymore. Jinora was well worth the wait.


End file.
